9 Questions: Jennifer Haigh (Heat and Light)

Pittsburgh’s fearless features reporter Rege Behe asked Jennifer Haigh a few “Littsburgh Questions” after his recent interview with her for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review — you’ll be able to check out that feature here soon…

A recent New York Times review of Jennifer Haigh’s new novel, Heat and Light, compared her to Richard Ford, Richard Price, and Richard Russo: “They are part of the stellar literary lineup of her admirers. With this book, she moves one big step closer to being in their league.”

Starting with her debut, Mrs. Kimble, which won the PEN/Hemingway Award in 2004 for debut fiction, Haigh has earned critical acclaim for her work. Heat and Light is set in the fictional town of Bakerton, the locale for her novel Baker Towers and News from Heaven, a collection of short stories. A lyrical look at the effects of fracking in small town, Heat & Light is destined to be one of 2016’s best novels.

When I was a kid out in the sticks, Pittsburgh was Paris to us, though most people in town were afraid to drive there. You went only when there was a compelling reason: for instance, someone needing a kidney transplant.